The invention concerns a humidifier, in particular for a fuel cell, comprising at least one stacked unit insertable into a housing and comprising several water vapor-permeable membranes which are arranged between frame parts so as to be stacked on top of each other and spaced apart from each other.
EP 1 261 992 B2 discloses a humidifier for a fuel cell that comprises a membrane stack with several membranes arranged on top of each other and spaced apart from each other and between which flow passages are formed. The water vapor-permeable membranes enable transfer of water molecules from humid air, which is passing through a flow passage adjoining a membrane, to a dry air stream in a flow passage extending on the opposite side of the membrane so that the dry air stream is enriched with moisture. The moisturized air stream is supplied to a fuel cell in which electric current is generated in an electrochemical reaction.
One membrane each is framed by two circumferentially extending frame parts stacked on each other, between which the membrane is fastened. The frame parts can be stacked on each other, the stacked unit is inserted into a housing into which the air streams with higher and lower moisture contents are fed.
It is the object of the invention to provide an efficiently operating humidifier of a constructively simply configuration that can be employed, for example, for a fuel cell.